Summer Solstice
by Lauruu
Summary: When Sora promises Kairi he will come back for her, she believes every word. Sora/Kairi. *UPDATED!* Riku's POV added!! R & R please!
1. Unexpected Suprises

"I'll always be with you, I promise. I'll come back to you." As he and I were drifting away from each other, I heard the truth ring in his last words to me. Of course he will come back to me.  
  
"I know you will!" I reply as I watch my closest friend go further and further away from me. Where he is going, where I am going, I'm not sure of, but I know that he will come back to me. Why am I so sure? Let me go back in time for a moment.  
  
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It was a warm summer's night. Sora, Riku, and I, Kairi, had been working on our raft all day. We were building one so we could see other worlds, and have new adventures. We loved Destiny Islands, of course! But, we've always wanted to know what else is out there, besides our sheltered island we call home.  
  
Sora and I were sitting on the dock, admiring the beautiful sunset. Destiny Islands' sunsets never failed to take anyone's breath away. The cool tropical breeze was playing with my reddish-brown hair as I set next to Sora. I love sitting next to him. I feel so calm, so relaxed, like there are no troubles in the world. We were going to officially launch our raft the next day, and I was having second doubts.  
  
"Let's run away together, just the two of us!" I asked Sora. I liked Riku, don't get me wrong. It's just, Sora and I have a more special bond. I feel so happy when I'm around him, something Riku can't do.  
  
"What?" A mixed look of confusion and agreement was on Sora's face. Sensing what I said must have been stupid, I quickly "changed my mind."  
  
"Ha ha, just kidding!" I'm sure my face turned deep red. Of course I wasn't kidding!  
  
"What's gotten into you lately?" Was Sora noticing that I was acting differently towards him? Part of me wanted him to notice, part of me didn't. Moments went by as we admired the sunset in silence.  
  
"Hey Kairi." Sora looked a little nervous.  
  
"Yes?" ASK ME IF I WANT TO SHARE A PAOPU! ASK ME IF I WANT TO SHARE A PAOPU!  
  
"I was wondering... umm." Sora was stalling.  
  
"What Sora?"  
  
"Well, since I think you really like me, and I really like you, REALLY like you, do you want to share a paopu?" His face turned beet red as he blurted out the question. It took me a while to realize what he was saying. "Unless of course you don't want to."  
  
"Of course I do, silly!" I was so excited! We were going to share a paopu! YES! YES!  
  
"Ok!" Sora grinned from ear to ear. I love his smile, it makes me so happy. Sora slowly reached for my hand, and I accepted his. We walked hand in hand over to the paopu tree. Sora scurried up the tree, but took his time examining the star-shaped fruit, looking for the juiciest, ripest one on the tree. After a few seconds, I heard an "Ah-HA!" and Sora quickly came down the tree. He took out a pocket knife, and equally divided it in half.  
  
I had never eaten a paopu before. From what I had heard from kids who had eaten them by themselves, not sharing it, it tasted bittersweet, sour, almost rotten. Would my paopu experience be bittersweet and rotten? I hoped not. This was the person I wanted my destiny intertwined with. This was my soul mate.  
  
He gave me a half, with paopu juice running down his hand. "Ok, on the count of three, we'll eat it at the same time!" I nodded my head, which was spinning at nine million miles a second.  
  
"One, two, three!"  
  
I took a bite out of the paopu. All thoughts of it being bittersweet and sour had left my mind. It was the sweetest thing I had ever tasted, sweeter than the purest sugar. I looked up at Sora, and I could tell he was thinking the same thing. I quickly finished mine, then wiped my face with my hand. I wish I could have eaten all the paopus on the tree. True love tastes so sweet.  
  
"That was good," Sora said softly. I nodded. What were we supposed to do now? It was so awkward.  
  
"Umm... wanna head back to the pier and watch the rest of the sun set?"  
  
"Sure!" I grinned and giggled. Today was the summer solstice, longest day of the year, which meant longest sunset of the year. Perfect.  
  
We walked hand in hand back to the pier. The sunset was so perfect, the perfect thing to end the perfect day. As the sun disappeared, and the moon rose, I noticed it was beginning to get late.  
  
"I better head back home." I was thinking that, but I really didn't want to.  
  
"Ya, I better do that too," Sora's voice had a hint of sorrow. He looked over at my face. "Oh, Kairi, you have something on your face." He reached over to brush it off, and I leaned my head in for him to get it off.  
  
What happened next, I can't explain. Maybe I slipped, maybe it happened on purpose. I don't know, it happened so fast. He kissed me! HE ACTUALLY KISSED ME! Of course, I kissed him back! I could taste paopu as I kissed his soft lips. The best taste ever. All kisses should taste like mine did. After what had seemed like centuries, I brought myself to stop.  
  
"I. I better go home," I didn't want this moment to go away!  
  
"Ya, me too. My mom will start to worry." I could see sorrow in Sora's eyes as well. He gave me a quick peck on the cheek, held my hand, and took me home.  
  
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I'm not worried that he won't come back. I know he will. And I have the leaf of the paopu we shared to prove it. 


	2. Sweet Kisses

I had finally caught up with her after looking all over. She was just in my grasp; I could have pulled her over to me. But we started separating, and I couldn't hold on much longer.  
  
"I'm always with you, I promise! I'll come back to you!" I wanted to hold on to her soft hand forever, but the moving of our two land masses stopped us from doing that. I wasn't lying to her either. I knew I would come back.  
  
"I know you will!" I'm glad she knew I would come back, that she knew that I would. Why am I so confident that we'll be reunited? It all happened not to long ago.  
  
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Riku and I had been working hard on the finishing touches on our raft. Kairi helped, a little, but she didn't do all the manly work like me and Riku. We were building a raft to see other worlds. I was usually content with Destiny Islands, until Kairi came along. See, Kairi hasn't been living on Destiny Islands all her life like me and Riku. She's only been here a few years, but I, Sora, knew from the start that I wanted to share a paopu with her.  
  
What's a paopu, you ask? Legend has it that if you share a paopu with someone, your destinies will be intertwined forever. Sounds kind of. . . final, doesn't it? So that's why if you share a paopu, it has to be with someone you love, someone you wouldn't mind seeing the rest of your life.  
  
Kairi and I were sitting on the pier, admiring the sunset. I have to admit, the sunsets are pretty, but the prettiest thing I could see was Kairi. As corny as that sounds, it's completely true. I think this is the person I want to share a paopu with. No, I'm SURE this is the person I want to share a paopu with. I wonder if she thinks the same.  
  
"Let's run away together, just the two of us!" Kairi randomly said. I was screaming inside "OK!"  
  
But I didn't.  
  
"What?" I'll just act confused, like I don't know what's she's talking about. But I agree, I want to run away with her!  
  
"Ha ha, I'm just kidding!" She's not, I know she's not.  
  
"What's gotten into you lately?" I asked her. She had been acting a little strange. . . I didn't mind too much, but I was curious.  
  
She didn't answer, a moments of silence passed by. Should I ask her? Should I ask if she wanted to share a paopu with me? I really wanted to share one with her; I just hoped she felt the same was as me. This was it; I was going to ask her. Sure, I would be heartbroken and crushed if she said "No", but it was worth a shot.  
  
"Hey Kairi. . ." My head was spinning, I felt so nervous.  
  
"Yes?" She turned her auburn-haired head towards my direction.  
  
"I was wondering. . . umm. . . ." Kairi looked confused, but almost anxious, like she knew what I was going to say. This was it! This was my chance! No turning back!  
  
"Well, since I think you really like me, and I really like you, REALLY like you, do you want to share a paopu?" Oh boy, I screwed that one up! "Unless of course you don't want to." I quickly added, just in case she didn't feel the same way as I did.  
  
"Of course I do, silly!" She smiled from ear to ear. YES! WHOO HOO! She wanted to share a paopu, with ME! ME! I felt like I was going to burst from all this happiness. I'm going to share a paopu with someone I want to spend the rest of my life with.  
  
"Ok," This was so exciting! I reached for her hand, slowly, hoping that she would accept it. She placed her hand in mine and we walked over to the shady paopu tree.  
  
"I'm going to climb up and get one now!" I grinned. We always hung around the paopu tree, so I was an expert at climbing it. I looked around for the juiciest, ripest paopu on the tree. I spotted it, at the very top. I reached for the star-shaped fruit, trying to keep my cool. I wouldn't want to fall, that would be embarrassing!  
  
"Ah-HA! Found the perfect one!" I looked down at Kairi and showed it to her. She giggled and jumped a few times. I came down and showed it to her, as I reached in my pocket of my red jumpsuit for my pocket knife to cut the fruit. Thoughts were racing through my head as I was cutting deeper into the flesh. What does it taste like? Is it really sour and bittersweet like the other kids say it tastes like? Riku tried one once, to show how cool he was. He spit it out though, said it tasted rotten and bittersweet. I hope it isn't, I wouldn't want to have Kairi eat something that tastes bad, and I wouldn't want my paopu experience to be sour!  
  
"Here you go!" I gave her an equal half of the paopu, with juices dripping down my and her hand. I took a corner of my jacket and wiped her hand off. She smiled at me. "We'll eat it at the same time, alright?" She nodded. I think she was as excited as I was.  
  
"One, two, three!"  
  
I took a bite out of the fruit, expecting it to be sour. Riku must have eaten a bad fruit because this one was the sweetest thing I had ever tasted. I wish I could share a million of these, they were so good! I wonder if Kairi's kisses taste the same way. I thought to myself. She finished her piece of the paopu the same time as me.  
  
After we had eaten our fruit, we just stood there, looking at the ground, feeling bashful. How am I supposed to follow up the greatest thing that has ever happened to me? I guess we could finish watching the sunset. Today was summer solstice, the longest day of the year.  
  
"Wanna head back to the pier to watch the rest of the sunset?" I broke the silence.  
  
"Sure!" This time, she reached for my hand, and I put it in mine. We walked back to the pier and sat down, watching the sun sink lower and lower, as the moon rose higher and higher.  
  
After the sun was down and the moon was shining brilliantly, I noticed my mom might be worried that I was out so late.  
  
"I better head back home. . ." Kairi said with a hint of disappointment.  
  
"Ya, I better do that to," I didn't want to, I didn't want this to end. I looked over at her face which reflected the moon's luminous rays. "Oh, Kairi, you have something on your face," I said as I reached over to wipe it off, and she leaned closer to me so I could wipe it off.  
  
Maybe she slipped, maybe we leaned in too far. I don't know, I don't care. We KISSED. We actually KISSED. I went in for a kiss when I said that she had something on her face, and when she leaned over, I just couldn't resist. I didn't know what to do at first. I had never kissed anyone other than my mom. At first I just slowly brushed my lips against hers, but she returned the favor, locking hers with mine. She had a little paopu juice on her lips, which made the kiss sweeter. There must have been some juice on my lips as well, because she let her tongue come out, just a little, not too much, and licked if off my lips. I did the same to her, and I don't think she minded either. I wish this moment could have frozen in time.  
  
She slowly took her head away from mine. "I. . ., I better go home." Reality struck me in the face. Of course this couldn't last forever.  
  
"Me too, my mom is probably worrying about me," I said sadly. I didn't want to go home.  
  
I gave her a quick kiss on her cheek, then took her hand, and lead her home. I wanted to make sure she was safe and got home.  
  
"Goodbye Sora," she said softly as she started to open the door.  
  
"Goodbye Kairi," I smiled at her.  
  
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I am so glad our destinies are intertwined. I couldn't think of anyone else I would rather spend my life with. 


	3. Jealous Love

It's summer solstice, longest day of the year. Longest, hottest day of the year, also day of the prettiest sunset, a pleasant reward for working on our raft all day.  
  
My name is Riku. I and my friends, Sora and Kairi, are building a raft to leave Destiny Islands, our home. When Kairi came here a long time ago, she made me interested more than ever in visiting other worlds, leaving behind this protected prison called "home." So Sora, Kairi, and I have been working hard all day to get our raft completed, so we can leave as soon as possible, tomorrow.  
  
Work was completed, and I sat in the shade of the paopu tree, enjoying the sunset. I noticed over on the dock, Sora and Kairi were doing the same. A surge of jealousy and anger rose over me. Sora and I have had a silent battle against each other over who would win Kairi's heart over. It saddens me to see Kairi choosing Sora over me. She only sees me as an older brother figure. Even though she doesn't love me the way she loves Sora, I will still love her, and protect her.  
  
I see them talking, about who knows what. I hear a ".just you and me." and I have to wonder what that's about. Are they planning to leave without me? I hope not, I worked just as hard, if not harder, as them to make this plan work, to get materials together, to build the raft. That wouldn't be fair to me. But then again, I suppose it's just their emotions taking control. I would never let my emotions take control of me; I would make rash and idiotic decisions.  
  
It looks like Sora blurted something out to Kairi, something rash and idiotic. Emotions. He looks nervous, yet excited, all at the same time. I don't know what he asked or said to Kairi, but she seems to be pleased. Something inside me tells me that this is about sharing a paopu. It's obvious; the two have been acting a little. . . strange lately. That's all I'll say.  
  
I was right about the paopu, and the two walked over to where I was standing, observing the two. I jumped swiftly and silently down the ladder, water filling into my shoes. I heard Sora climb up the paopu tree, and exclaiming that he found one. He cut it in half, giving one to Kairi. I peeked over the edge, just slightly, to see their reactions. I had tried a paopu myself once. It was very bittersweet, nothing that tasted good. I spat it out, trying to give the impression that if Riku, a tough guy, couldn't handle it, neither could anyone else. I did that so Sora wouldn't share one with Kairi, so Kairi wouldn't have to eat anything bittersweet. By the expressions on their face, I guessed it wasn't bittersweet if it is shared with someone. The looks on their faces were pure ecstasy, as if what they had eaten was the sweetest, purest thing in the world. I was envious of Sora. I wanted to share the paopu with Kairi, I wanted to taste something so sweet, so pure, with someone who had a sweet and pure heart.  
  
After they had finished their paopu, they walked, hand in hand, over to the dock again, to enjoy the rest of the sunset, I assume. I climbed up the ladder, almost slipping because of the water on the bottom of my shoes. Water sloshed inside my shoes and I walked over to the paopu tree, to examine drops of paopu juice on the floor. My eyes moved over to the dock once more. Sora looked over at Kairi, obviously intending to kiss her. I knew that look on his face, I had experienced it before. He pretended that Kairi had something on her face. Sora reached his hand over towards Kairi's face, but Kairi must have slipped, or maybe Sora leaned closer. In the blink of an eye, the two were locking lips. I could tell they were enjoying it, it took a while for them to separate. "Satisfaction" was written all over Sora's face, it was more than obvious. Kairi looked content, but she said something to Sora, and the two stood up. Again, holding hands, they walked away from the dock, further and further from my site. I suppose they were going home, as that was the direction they were headed. I slipped my shoes off and slowly and carefully treaded after them.  
  
The two reached Kairi's house first. Sora gave Kairi a quick peck on the cheek, then made sure she was home safely before heading home. I heard cheers and a loud "Whoopee!" as Sora went home. I clenched my fists as he did this. Sora walked out of my site, and I looked up at the clouds.  
  
"Hmm. . ., looks like a storm." I ran over to the paopu tree to gather my shoes, and I ran home, filled with anger and sadness. I still love Kairi, even if she chooses Sora over me. Nothing can replace that feeling. 


End file.
